Article search device and article search method

Abstract

The control unit includes a retrieval target article identification unit configured to identify a retrieval target article from among the articles stored in the storage unit on the basis of retrieval information indicating a retrieval completion state, a reverse sequential operation calculation unit configured to calculate a reverse sequential operation when it is assumed that the retrieval target article is moved to the storage position in the storage unit in a reverse sequence from the retrieval completion state, and a retrieval operation calculation unit configured to calculate a retrieval operation in which the retrieval target article is moved from the storage position in the storage unit and is in the retrieval completion state by reproducing the reverse sequential operation in reverse.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article search device, which performs a search associated with an article retrieval operation and includes a storage unit configured to store articles at a storage position, a transport machine configured to transport the articles from the storage unit for retrieval, and a control unit configured to control the storage unit and the transport machine,
 wherein the control unit includes   a retrieval target article identification unit configured to identify a retrieval target article from among the articles stored in the storage unit on the basis of retrieval information indicating a retrieval completion state;   a reverse sequential operation calculation unit configured to calculate a reverse sequential operation when it is assumed that the retrieval target article is moved to the storage position in the storage unit in a reverse sequence from the retrieval completion state; and   a retrieval operation calculation unit configured to calculate a retrieval operation in which the retrieval target article is moved from the storage position in the storage unit to reach the retrieval completion state by reproducing the reverse sequential operation in reverse.   
     
     
         2 . The article search device according to  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval target article identification unit assigns a number to the retrieval target article stored in the storage unit in correspondence with a retrieval sequence of a plurality of articles in the retrieval completion state. 
     
     
         3 . The article search device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the storage unit includes:   a storage shelf arranged at the storage position of the articles;   a transport shelf arranged in alignment with the storage shelf and configured to transport the articles to the transport machine; and   a transfer unit arranged in parallel with the storage shelf and configured to move the articles to the storage position and transfer the articles between the storage position and the transport shelf, and   wherein the reverse operation calculation unit is set such that the transfer unit is operated to perform a transfer to the storage shelf in a sequence in which a number of the retrieval target article of the transport shelf and a number of the storage position of the storage shelf are aligned.   
     
     
         4 . The article search device according to  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval target article identification unit sets a higher priority level of a retrieval sequence for the retrieval target article stored at the storage position at an earlier time. 
     
     
         5 . The article search device according to  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval target article identification unit sets a higher priority level of a retrieval sequence for the retrieval target article stored at a position closer to the transport machine for performing the retrieval among storage positions. 
     
     
         6 . The article search device according to  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval target article identification unit identifies the retrieval target article using a pattern table in which a sequence pattern when a plurality of articles are transported to the storage unit is prepared in advance. 
     
     
         7 . An article search method of performing a search associated with an article retrieval operation in an article search device including a storage unit configured to store articles at a storage position and a transport machine configured to transport the articles from the storage unit for retrieval, the article search method comprising:
 a retrieval target article identification step of identifying a retrieval target article from among the articles stored in the storage unit on the basis of retrieval information indicating a retrieval completion state;   a reverse sequential operation calculation step of calculating a reverse sequential operation when it is assumed that the retrieval target article is moved to the storage position in the storage unit in a reverse sequence from the retrieval completion state; and   a retrieval operation calculation step of calculating a retrieval operation in which the retrieval target article is moved from the storage position in the storage unit and is in the retrieval completion state by reproducing the reverse sequential operation in reverse.